1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to securing means and, more particularly, to an improved wall anchoring device.
2. Prior Art
Various types of bolts, screws, nails and similar devices have been provided for anchoring picture frames, fixtures and other items to walls, ceilings and floors. Similar devices have been used for fixing furniture and appliance components together. Many such devices are cumbersome and/or expensive and are often difficult to install. Most such devices are incapable of anchoring fairly heavy objects to a wall or ceiling where no stud or other wood bearing member is present behind the wall. Thus, conventional anchoring systems have a tendency to loosen and fall if not firmly embedded in a stud, header, base plate or the like portion of the building frame.
One usually has to punch several holes in an existing wall before locating a stud in order to install a conventional anchor and then has to patch the excess holes. All of this takes time and is expensive. Even so-called stud locator devices are not very reliable. Moreover, when expandable bolts such as molly bolts and toggle bolts with sleeves are utilized they cannot be positioned close to a portion of the wall frame because if they are so positioned, they subsequently expand against the wall frame and are forced off-center. This causes them to bend, forcing them into misalignment with the spacing necessary for proper connection with a fixture, etc.
Applicant has filed a co-pending patent application on an "Improved Anchoring Bolt Device", U.S. Ser. No. 555,072, filed Nov. 25, 1983 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,844, which attempts to overcome some of the problems of the prior art. However, applicant has found that the device disclosed in that application, although being much improved over the prior art, does not completely satisfy all requirements for an improved fastening device.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved anchoring device which does not require the presence of a portion of the wall frame in order to securely and permanently anchor fixtures, etc., to the wall. Preferably, the device should utilize a small entry hole into the wall and be equally useful in ceilings, floors, sidewalls, furniture panels, mattresses, etc. Moreover, the device should be useful in close proximity to the wooden frame supporting the wall. The device should be inexpensive, durable and efficient and require no special tools or skills. Ideally, the device should be capable of repeated reuse without premature failure. The device preferably should come in various sizes and be readily adjustable as to length, etc. When applied to a wall, the device should help to distribute the load on the wall to prevent cracking, punch out thereof, etc., and thus be useful on plaster walls, as well as dry walls.